What Price Protection?
Want to secure your invention with a patent? It's going to cost you.
You've come up with an idea for the next big thing--but how
do you keep others from stealing it? There's really only one
way to get legal protection, and that's to file a patent with
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO).
Many people think that sending a registered letter detailing
their idea to an attorney, friend, or themselves (and then keeping
it in a safe place, unopened) provides protection. Wrong--it
doesn't. I sent myself such a letter for my TopsyTail. Although
it was helpful during my patent infringement lawsuits in proving
when I came up with my idea, it doesn't prevent anyone from
stealing your invention. That's because the only legal form of
protection recognized by the judicial system is a patent. And as
you may already know, obtaining a patent isn't cheap.
Tomima Edmark is the inventor of the TopsyTail and several
other products, and is author of The American Dream Fact Pack
($49.95), available by calling (800) 558-6779. Questions
regarding inventions and patents may be sent to "Bright
Ideas," Entrepreneur, 2392 Morse Ave., Irvine, CA
92614.
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